Environmental messages are growing more common in video games, particularly indie titles. Colorful Soulslike gameAnother Crab’s Treasureis no exception, as it includes a pervasive environmental threat encountered by crab protagonist Kril.
InAnother Crab’s Treasure, the Gunk is an infection of sorts that threatens life under the sea as a result of the trash–or treasure–that humanity has littered the oceans with. In this way,Another Crab’s Treasurestands shoulder-to-shoulder withfellow indie titles likeFloraManceras well as big-budget sensations like theHorizonfranchise in tackling humanity’s impact on natural environments. Game Rant recently spoke to the game’s creative director/narrative lead Caelan Pollock (alongside studio head/art director Nick Kaman) about the Gunk and what it means for Kril’s world in a recent interview.
Another Crab’s Treasure: Gunk is Not Just an Allegory
Pollock explained that the Gunk is more than just pollution of the sea, but a larger threat to the residents of Kril’s world.
The Gunk is, essentially, this substance that has the appearance of crude oil that is spreading across the ocean. And then, as time progresses, it sort of becomes clear that this isn’t just a physical substance, but is also spreading through people’s minds.
The image of crude oil spreading on seawater is evocative of some of the worst pollution disasters in history. Boththe 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spillin the Gulf of Mexico and 1989’s Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska are prime examples of what damage crude oil can do in aquatic ecosystems. But the Gunk is also evocative of other aquatic hazards created by humanity as well, in particular the disposal of microplastics. The way human trash-slash-crab treasure contributes to the problem of Gunk mirrors the way the large floating garbage patches in the ocean seep microplastics into the sea and. from there. into the animals living in it.
As for the psychological effects of the Gunk, this is also mirrored by the real-world environmental consequences of human activity. In both oil spills and cases of microplastic consumption, fish behaviors change noticeably. These issues weaken group cohesion among fish and prompt those exposed to become more aggressive and to engage in more dangerous, high-risk activities.
Climate Catastrophe in Another Crab’s Treasure
But the deeper meaning of this allegory is something Pollock says the players will determine for themselves as they traversethe bright and silly Soulslike game. It is also something that extends beyond merely the physical effects of pollution on aquatic life, he explained, but may have other influences behind it as well.
I don’t want to get too into what the allegory of it all means to me, because I think that actually is something people will experience for themselves later in the game. It’s not exclusively just a representation of physical pollution. It’s this mental deterioration that’s taking place across everyone as their world starts to crumble … I was very interested in less approaching it from the perspective of “How do we solve climate change or pollution?’ and more about how do we, as people, build community and maintain something to live for in a world that feels like it’s dying.
It can be a mistake to oversimplify what Gunk can mean. While pollution and environmental destruction is a worthwhile allegory and canform the backbone of games likeTerra Nil, Aggro Crab’s previous title,Going Under, also provided commentary on the way people. Specifically, it put players into the shoes of an unpaid intern who must complete dungeon crawls through failed tech startups. That means Gunk can also carry a meaning of a more spiritual kind of pollution as well. This may be hinted at by the game’s narrative, which features humanity’s trash sparking an undersea industrial revolution that, among other things, means protagonist Kril now has to pay taxes to the Duchess of Slack Tide. The game focuses heavily on the cascade of effects stemming from this rapid shift in aquatic society.
And, Pollock explained, that the more spiritual side of the Gunk is in keeping with the game’s broader themes.Another Crab’s Treasureis not about pollution in the way thatHorizonisn’t really about machine corruption. Both, instead, are ruminations about how the game world reflects on a true, and preventable, apocalyptic disaster. Whether those more spiritual forms of pollution take the form of greed, apocalyptic thinking, or something else entirely will be something best explored through the eyes of a hermit crab who has to pay his taxes whenAnother Crab’s Treasurereleases April 25.
Another Crab’s Treasure
WHERE TO PLAY
As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to wear the trash around you as shells to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to buy back your repossessed shell, and discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean.TRASH OR TREASURE?In this undersea society, trash is not only a way of life, but a valuable resource, used for everything from fashion to firearms. But with the presence of trash comes a mysterious infection known as the Gunk, which could spell doom for the entire ocean.LEARN FROM NATUREAs Kril explores the ocean, he’ll gain a variety of Umami Techniques—powerful attacks learned from the denizens of the seas. Punch your enemies with the overwhelming might of a Mantis Shrimp, ensnare them with the horrifying Bobbit Worm, and much more.UNEXPLORED DEPTHSThe ocean goes deeper than one can imagine. Fight your way through kelp forests, coral reefs, sand castle cities, and even the unfathomable darkness of the deep-sea trenches, all in the name of getting back your prized shell.
